Being Hope

I just finished reading a wonderful story, “The Girl Who Drank The Moon” I have written a little blurb about it on my book box page if you have yet to check it out. As I sat today enjoying the sun I thought more about the book and how it might impact me.

In Disrupting Thinking (I have talked about it before) one thing we are asked to consider in reflecting on a book is HEART-how does the text impact me, change me, help me to help others? I did not expect to have a greater HEART moment a day after reading a book but I guess that is really the point of reflection.

I want to discuss sorrow versus hope as they are important pieces of the story and on reflection very important in regards to teaching and how best to help our students. In the story there is an evil entity called the Sorrow Eater, someone who prays on the sorrow of others. A great quote in the story comes when one character tries to help another avoid the sorrow eater,

For me this illustrated that hope is the counter to sorrow. As a teacher I think this is useful.

Students come to us every year dealing with things that potentially could be causing them sorrow. A weight heavy on them. Lack of food or a safe place to live. Bullies at school or bullies at home. Struggles in learning or fitting in. Family problems, health problems. We don’t always know what our students deal with, they may not always tell us.

As teachers we need to help our students be hopeful. Help them to see there is a break in the clouds in some way or another. I can’t fix a home situation but I can make their school day as great as I can, I can’t fix a health problem but I can make sure they get the best education and best day when they are there. I can be a listening ear or a helping hand. Teachers need to be hope for their students when hope is hard to find. We need to help them see it. To let them know that the clouds might break and that it is ok to ask for help when they are not sure they have that hope in themselves yet. We can’t let our students be weighed down with sorrow.

Imagine I read a book about a Magical girl and came out with I need to be the Hope for my students when they have a hard time finding it in themselves.